Sand In the Pants
by BossGoomba
Summary: Ino listens in on Shikamaru discussing a private problem with Chouji. Later she is sent on a mission in Suna, Ino discovers that keeping Sand out of her pants is harder then she'd originally thought. ShikaIno,KankuroIno,ShikaTema in a love quad-rangle!
1. Sand in the Pants

**Sand in the Pants**

* * *

"He should have had plenty of time to rest," Ino thought to herself walking down the street towards Shikamaru's home. Trust him to have a mission when she was on the verge of perfecting a new technique. But she had waited patiently, well as patiently as she was capable, for him to return. She'd even gave him until the next morning before she started off to pester him. As she reached the house, she noticed that the door to the residence had be left partially open. She was about to enter until she heard the voices of Chouji and Shikamaru whispering from inside. Instead she leaned against the outside wall, pressing her body against the structure as she listened.

"Thats the sixth time you've scratched yourself since I got here." Chouji commented. "Its like you have a rash down there or something."

"It just won't stop . . ." Shikamaru replied, sounding distraught.

"How did you manage to get one of those down there?"

Shikamaru's voice dropped to a soft mumbling whisper.

"With Temari? That Sand Jounin? I always thought she was into girls . . ." Chouji trailed off, probably with a large smile on his pudgy face. "When did you have time for that?"

Another set of mumblings ushered from Shikamaru's mouth.

Chouji laughed. "How did it happen? I mean you're not exactly a lady's man Shikamaru."

"It just did, we were eating a nice dinner together being friendly. We were talking about specific tactics and advanced strategies. Then she started making cryptic insinuations, and how she thought geniuses were attractive."

"It doesn't seem like you though," he sounded a bit sad.

"I'm not impervious to women you know. Its just takes too much effort for a relationship. I thought being with Temari would be perfect, She lives so far away we'd only see each other every once in a while."

"She would be the only one that would find your genius sexy."

"Apparently I'm not the only one she finds desirable or I wouldn't be itching like Kiba before a flea dip."

As Chouji's hearty laughter filled the house, Ino crossed her arms. Her anger smoldered. It didn't take more then an educated guess to figure out what had happened. It served him right that being with another woman had consequences. Poetic justice.

_**Jealous much?**_ The thought streamed across her mind. She'd admitted to herself a long time ago that she had deeply cared for her teammate more then was simply platonic. It was different from her superficial infatuation with Sasuke. Sasuke was the type a girl like herself was suppose to be attracted to. There was no amount of quality stretching one could do to liken Sasuke to Shikamaru. They were simply two very different types of human beings. So when she had started to find Shikamaru's qualities more and more attractive, it had been little surprise her affection for him soon out shown her girlish obsession with the Uchiha boy.

Sasuke rejecting her had been expected, he rejected every advance. It wasn't that big of a deal, she'd never even put her whole heart in perusing Sasuke. When he disappeared, she was sad; but had been much more grateful that Shikamaru and Chouji had come home alive. Ino wasn't stupid, she 'd known what that meant. And she had been certain that Shikamaru had too.

She'd been so sure that when she woke from her mind-walking jutsu that his eyes were telling her what he felt deep inside. She'd believed it to be a silent, unspoken love between them both. Apparently she'd been very wrong.

Shikamaru to blatantly prefer and then sleep with another woman made her ache inside. Maybe she should have said something. Suddenly she wished that she'd been as bold as Temari, or as clever in her pursuit of Shikamaru. What did Temari have that made Ino inferior?

_**Legs that spread without effort apparently.**_ she thought to herself, as she heard footfall heading towards her and the partially opened door.

It wasn't until Shikamaru and Chouji moved out of the residence that the former detected Ino. He threw a casual glance over his shoulder. His expression darkened, a hint of a red on his cheeks. She grinned wickedly at his discomfort. He'd just realized she heard everything.

"What are you doing eavesdropping on us like that? You should should try to keep-" he was going to say keep out of other people's business, but the words caught in his throat; mostly due to Ino's obvious hurt and fury.

"Maybe on your next mission _you should try to keep_ _**Sand**_ out of your pants." She glared at Shikamaru, her fists white knuckled with anger. "Everyone knows it makes you itch when it gets in there." She turned abruptly, and shot off one more snide comment at Shikamaru before storming down the street. "Next time it might fall off."

He watched her back until her blonde tail of hair faded from sight as she rapidly turned a corner. He then turned his head to Chouji, "I'll never understand that complicated woman." Chouji just shook his head, knowing that his genius only extended so far.

"Nah, Ino is a lot simpler then you think. Its you that just made things complicated . . ."

* * *

**Goomba Note: **_I just came up with an awesome storyline for this drabble, so it can become a real story! I plan on updating this week with the next chapter. I promise, even though it seems like Temari-bashing, it won't pan out that way. Now its just a lovely little plot device!_


	2. Of Poison and Petals

**Sand in the Pants  
Part 2  
Of Poison and Petals**

* * *

"Shortly after he slipped into the coma he died." Ino told her pink haired rival, a smug smirk on her fair features.

"All that from a little rhubarb?" Sakura asked with disbelief.

"It wasn't just a little rhubarb, I concentrated all the poisons so I only have to use a little. And since the cooks served him rhubarb pie, thanks to my power of suggestion, it doesn't look so suspicious. Besides rhubarb isn't like other organic poisons anyway. Its more like heavy metal poisoning, you should know at least that." She chastised her friend, hiding the fact that she was proud of her knowledge in this area. She had finally bested Sakura, if only in one area.

But Ino remembered, without lingering bitterness, that it hadn't always been the case.

_"Ino, what are you doing out here by yourself?" asked the familiar voice of Shizune from behind. The blonde quickly wiped away the tears trailing down her soft cheeks._

_"Nothing,." she replied weakly, she couldn't find the ambition to be strong at the moment. What was the point. She was being left in the dust by her rival; and there was no way to deny it after that last test Godaime had administered. She'd done better then the others, but the only person she cared about beating was Sakura. And she was so far beyond Ino, that it looked like it would be impossible for her to catch up._

_"Its about that test isn't it?" Shizune asked._

_Being confronted with it aloud was all Ino could take. The tears started to flow once again, uncontrollably so. "I can't beat her. There was a time, when I was so far ahead of her, that I was arrogant enough to think she would never be able to catch me. But now its the opposite, how am I suppose to keep my promises to Asuma-sensei! How am I suppose to take care of Chouji and Shikamaru? How am I going to beat Sakura! I don't like to admit it, but I'm . . .useless." She confessed, burying her face in her hands and sobbing into them without restraint. What good would that do her now?_

_"Your right, if you keep following after Sakura like you are; you'll never catch up," she said, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "There is more then one path to becoming useful. You can never be a formidable shinobi by following another's path. You have to make your own."_

_Ino wiped her tears away, and looked up at the dark haired Jounin. "I wouldn't even know where to start."_

_"Well you have your mind techniques. That is something that Sakura definitely cannot do,"_

_"Those are useless on their own in actual combat. I usually can only use it when combined with Shikamaru-san's jutsu."_

_"You know there was one exam where you scored a great deal higher then Sakura."_

_"I remember that, it was easy. It was all plant related, which were poisonous, and which could be useful to a med-nin."_

_"See Ino, you shouldn't doubt yourself." Shizune smiled at her brightly_

_"Sakura pulled poison out of the Kazekage's brother and created an antidote. A poison I might add couldn't be neutralized by Suna's top poison experts. So I know about flowers and plants, I'm just as useless."_

_Shizune pulled a vial from her belt pouch, and offered it to the girl, who hesitantly took it and cradled it in her hands. "But if Sasori had done his job correctly, Sakura would never have had the chance to save that nin. That is some of the poison I use for my weapons,"_

_"Shizune-san, I couldn't take this."_

_"Its only my basic mixture, but I'll tell you that everything in that vial is from a plant or flower. So I want you to take that and remember one thing; not every flower is useless." _

**This flower is toxic**, she thought to herself as the flash of that memory washed over her. That had all happened four years ago, the day she had set out on her own path. She had become a Jounin since, at the same time Sakura did. Her reverie wasn't noticed by Sakura, and if it was the pink haired kunoichi made no comment. "I have to be going Sakura, Hokage-Sama wanted to see me. Probably yet another mission." she flaunted, her string of missions now a days were never ending it seemed. Her abilities, along with her social graces had made her a desirable spy and espionage agent. "Have fun with your rounds at the hospital." she waved, working at the hospital was Sakura's thing. Ino was convinced she even enjoyed it. As far as Ino was concerned she could keep it. Her missions were usually the fun kind anyway.

* * *

"I'm being sent to Sand?" she asked, dumbfounded by the mission that the Hokage had just given her. 

"You object?" The older woman asked lifting a graceful blonde eyebrow, honey brown eyes staring into her.

"No, its just that Shikamaru-san is usually the one that handles issues with Suna, when Suna's liaison is in Konoha anyway. I don't have much experience with the Sand Shinobi." She was careful not to use the woman's name, because it always sounded like venom when she spoke it.

"They have requested you specifically because of your techniques. And they are paying quite highly for your services, and of course that this is handled with the utmost secrecy." Tsunade paused to take a sip of her tea, and moisten her dry palette. "Your escort will be here any moment, they will also be your partner for the mission."

"Escort? That was nice of them to send one for me. It will be my first time in Wind Country after all." Ino was getting excited by this travel opportunity. "But I'm not used to working with strangers."

"It isn't a complete stranger, I think you might even know them."

Her eyes opened wide, the look could have been described as terror. She might not be a genius like her teammate Shikamaru, but she wasn't in anyway stupid. She knew few people from Suna, and only one made regular trips between the two villages. Fate had twisted this promising excitement by placing her with the only Sand Shinobi she hated. "Its Temari-san is it?" her tone had lost all its jubilation.

"Good guess, " Ino tensed. The voice was vaguely familiar, but it was definitely male. "But that's going to be your first strike." Ino turned towards the door. She was confronted by the image of a large man in all black, purple lines painted proudly on his strong face.

"This is your escort, you might remember him as Kankuro."

"Hn," was all she could mutter

* * *

**Goomba Note: **_Where you hoping for Temari? There will be a confrontation later. So I promise Temari action later. Please read and review, even if its just to say I like it, or you hated it. I hope to update again real soon._

_Oh and if your curious, the model of Adult Ino I have in mind while I'm writing is in my profile._


	3. Shadow at the Window

**Sand in the Pants  
Part 3  
****Shadow at the Window**

* * *

It wasn't until the two were outside Godaime's office that Ino addressed Kankuro directly. "I assume since Godaime hasn't filled me in on the details of this mission, that you will be doing that honor?" she queried the older man, her brisk manner keeping an air of business about her.

"I'll fill you in on the basics on our way. Can you get yourself together in an hour?" He asked, keeping things just as brisk.

"Yes, I just need to grab the tools I'll need. And a bite to eat, I'll need my energy if we're going to travel."

"You do look like you need to eat," He told her with a wide grin on his face, which the purple paint accented in a dramatic fashion. Ino could tell he was resisting the urge to laugh. She deigned not to dignify the comment by acknowledging it. "I'll meet you outside your village gate in one hour. Don't be late. We can't afford to waste time." He walked off in front of her, the three scrolls on his back swaying with his steps. She moved down the hall, opposite of Kankuro. He was going to make the trip interesting at the very least.

She made it to her apartment in a few minutes, she had taken up residence in the central part of Konoha. She enjoyed the freedom her own place entitled her too. Her parents had finally been forced to hire help at the flower shop, since she was usually too busy to look after the front counter. She gently turned the knob and moved inside. It consisted of three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom and a main room that held the kitchen, dining room and living room. While it was a small space, it in no way looked cramped. The large sliding window opposite the door might have helped to make it look more open. From there she could see the craved stone faces of the Hokage, and the tiled roofs in between.

She moved swiftly into her bedroom, and went straight to a special armoire she used special for her gear. She took a special ornament from her belt pouch and placed it in the circular divot in the center of the doors. She quickly grabbed what she needed, and secured it to her person. She closed the doors and returned the key to her pouch.

She meandered into the kitchenette, and carefully looked through the partially stocked fridge for something to eat. Deciding on a blue plastic container, she set it out on the nearest counter before searching her cupboards. Snacks and other food items were shuffled haphazardly into a pack. 

When she turned around she nearly jumped. Shikamaru had casually slid the glass of her window to the side, coming in from the balcony on the other side. That was enough to surprise just about anyone. 

"I'll give you points for being ballsy Nara. But why do you think you have the right to waltz into my house? Through my window like a petty thief, no less?" She placed a hand on her hip and glared at him, before she placed the dark blue pack on her dining table with a swinging motion. It made a loud thump, accenting Ino's annoyance at the other shinobi.

"Its not like you answered when I knocked yesterday. I was just trying to see if you were okay." He said, throwing a hand over his back to rub the back of his neck, yawning lazily. "You usually come see Chouji and I after a mission. And now Chouji is pissed at me for 'upsetting the balance'." He used his fingers to teasingly quote the last bit.

"Well, Nara, I can't say I really want to see you very much at the moment." She told him, moving back to the counter. She opened the plastic container, a couple rice balls nestled like chicks inside. He was silent, until Ino looked up at him again.

"Because of what you overheard? Come on Ino! First off, you shouldn't have been eavesdropping. And Second of all I don't understand why it upset you so much, I know how much you hate Temari-"

"You really are a social idiot you know. Did you ever stop to think _why_ I might hate Temari?" she interject, then took a bite into a rice ball and covered her hand with her mouth as she chewed. She never did like it when people were looking at her while she ate.

"I was under the assumption it was some sort of female thing that makes no sense. In my experience, females hardly ever have a logical explanation for hating another woman. I mean you and Sakura started that stupid rivalry of yours over that asshat Sasuke remember?"

She shoved the rest of the rice ball in her face, making her look a great deal less lady-like then the moment before. If she didn't get away from him, she wasn't going to be able to control the words that would form on her lips. Her anger had always been volatile, but in recent years she had managed to subdue most of her outbursts in an attempt to appear more sophisticated and less intimidating. Still there were a few people that could break through her shell of serenity, and Shikamaru was number one on the list. For all his remarks on her being troublesome throughout the years, the person in Ino's life that gave her the most trouble was the shadow shinobi standing before her. "Good-bye Nara, make sure to shut the window on your way out." She hefted her pack and moved to the door, managing to hang on to her composure; if just barely.

As her fingers grasped the gold knob, a hand on her shoulder turned her about. Shikamaru's hand speed past her head to keep the door firmly shut. The other hand lifted her chin, so she had little choice but to meet his piercing gaze.

"I'm not going to let you off that easy. I'm not going to let you go until you stop playing these stupid mind games and give me a straight answer. Please Ino tell me. Why are you so upset?" His tone was caring and sincere. The words came like honey off his lips. Their sound so saccharine to her ears that tears formed at the corners of her eyes. His closeness teased her, the warmth of his body made her skin tingle. Her heart quickened its beat with his proximity.The scent of his grassy hill clung to his clothing, Ino half wondered if it was permanent. It mixed well with his natural male muskiness. It reminded her of nature itself, of wilderness. The smell engulfed her and made her mind fuzzy. She couldn't stop the burning tears of frustration from streaming down her face. She wanted him to hold her close, and in that same voice whisper sweet nothings in her ear; the way she imagined he had for Temari.

She lifted herself on tip toe, and placed a peck on his cheek. Every fiber of her being demanded more. The heat of passion tried to persuade her to mold her body into his like she'd dreamed about too many nights to count. But this was the only indulgence she could give her reeling senses, just one tender kiss.

"Because _I_ loved you first," She whispered, lips only a hair away from the skin they'd just embraced. She looked away immediately, she couldn't bare to see his reaction. Instead she took advantage of his resulting shock by slipping out of the door as quickly as she could.

**Bet he didn't have a strategy thought out for that move**, she thought humorlessly as she ran down the streets of Konoha, wiping the lingering tears from her face. If she didn't hurry, she'd be late. Hopefully her escort wouldn't notice, the last thing she wanted was to appear weak in front of a Sand shinobi.

* * *

**Goomba Note:** _Another day another part. This story is writing itself! I wanted to state here that I **PROMISE** Shikamaru and Ino end up together at the end, so don't worry about me going ShikaTema. Only ShikaTema in the piece has already been alluded to in part 1. However this story is mostly about Ino and Kankuro, and their mission in Suna. I have a happy little quad-rangle setting up. I will also make sure to treat Temari with respect, I don't hate her I just don't think she is right for Shikamaru; especially in this story._


	4. All Caught Up

**Goomba Note:**_ Thisis the part that wasn't suppose to be :3 but it wrote itself. So instead of the trip to Suna having one part it'll have two now. I hope I kept Kankuro in character, its the first time I've ever written him. Please leave me a comment if you're enjoying the story, and if your not let me know why. If I didn't want to entertain potential readers I'd have kept this fic in my head! Thank-you for reading!_

_Special thanks to __**AniMeViEtGrl**, __**SliverOfSilver88**, __**sad little monkey**__, and __**xXoCherri1469xXo** __for reading and commenting the last few days. Reading your comments was the best part of writing this fic!_

**Sand in the Pants  
Part 4  
All Caught Up**

* * *

Greenery speed past the two as they ran from branch to branch. The quickest route to Sunagakure was through the forest surrounding Konohagakure. The first day would be all Fire Country, she'd been informed. She could still hardly believe she was being sent away for an assignment. They had only just left the gates, but already the excitement was seeping into her mood. She was just as pleased to be getting away from that damn Nara. A break from him, and all the troubles he cause her, was exactly what she needed. She forced the man from her thoughts, and promised herself that for the remainder of her mission and her time away from Hidden Leaf she would not think about Shikamaru.

With Kankuro's blazing pace, it wasn't long before all she kept thinking about was how tired she was. She knew that she was one of the most physically fit Kunoichi in her age bracket, yet after only a few hours she was panting and had to tap into her chakra to keep up. The puppeteer didn't look the least bit strained, despite being the one with the heavier equipment. How long could she maintain this speed became the question. She didn't want to call attention to her weakness, but by the time the sun was beginning to set Ino was starting to feel the edge of her limits.

**A man his size shouldn't be able to move this fast for this long**, she complained to herself as sweat dripped off her forehead. Ino imagined a physique similar to Chouji's was hidden under all that loose black clothing. Thinking of Chouji almost always brought an image of Shikamaru to mind. As her focus on running shifted to thoughts of Shikamaru, Ino's foot caught in a twisted tree branch. She plummeted to the ground below. She tried to reach out with her chakra to grab a hold of another limb or trunk, but she'd used so much Chakra trying to keep up with Kankuro that she could only manage to reduce her speed. Her eyes closed, bracing herself against the impending impact.

Her body molded into cloth and flesh, instead of the hard earth she'd been expecting just a moment before. His large hand covered the exposed side of her face, cradling her head against his pounding chest, only a thin layer of fabric between Ino and the heated flesh of the puppeteer. He pressed her body tightly against his, guarding her as he could against the remaining impact. His fierce hold on her was at once welcome, and awkward. His grasp on her weakened almost immediately, and she looked up at him with awe in her bright blue eyes. Her eyes met his for an instant. **They're green** she thought. She quickly looked away, but that couldn't stop the burn of her blush. Maybe the shadows would hide her reddening cheeks a bit.

"If you were tired you should have said something." he scowled at her, before tipping her feet towards the ground and she slide down. "Although I should have guessed a Leaf-nin wouldn't have the stamina to keep up." Ino crossed her arms, the anger flushing her face further. But she didn't utter one word, the fact that he'd just caught her made any argument she could think of a moot point. In fact she couldn't find anything to say at all. "True its important we get back to Wind Country quickly, but not so direly urgent you need to injure yourself in the process. What good are you then?" He said pulling the scrolls off his back and handing them to Ino. She stared at him dumbfounded. "Put those on your back so I can put you on mine."

"I'm not some damsel in distress that needs you to carry her!" She exclaimed, indignant that he'd even suggested the idea. She let the scrolls drop to the ground as he handed them off to her.

"And here I thought we were playing nice with each other! Especially after those doe eyes you just gave me," he glared at her as her retrieved his scrolls. She couldn't think of a response, again the man had tangled her tongue. Ino was left with one option. She crossed her arms stubbornly and turned away from him with a huff. "Look, you are obviously tired, and you obviously can't weigh that much" he started, his tone a mixture of annoyance and compassion. The deliberate flattery brought a wry grin to her lips. She turned her head to glance at him over her shoulder. "It won't get dark enough to halt travel for another hour or two. So please let me carry you, I won't tell a soul." He took his right hand and crossed his heart before offering the scrolls to her again with the left.

"Fine," she grabbed them, and shrugged the straps around her shoulders. "I don't want to hear you complain about having to do so later."

She jumped onto his back, and Kankuro locked his arms behind him to keep her from falling off. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he told her to hang on. Without another word he made his way back to the branches they'd been using before Ino tripped and plunged to the earth below. The green of the leaves enveloped them once again.

Thankfully it was Kankuro that broke the awkward silence, giving her mind something to focus other then the fact she was being carried by a stranger. "Can you hear me back there?" When she told his she could he continued. "I mind as well brief you about the mission, since we've gotten so close." He sounded rather amused by his tone.

"I've been rather curious why I'd been selected to aid Hidden Sand. I mean we've just proven Suna Jounin are much stronger then I am, physically anyway." For the simple fact that in Sunagakure quality had to count over quantity. "And your sister is one of the best tacticians I've ever seen, barring Shikamaru of course." Her tone turning the comment into a mild jibe.

"That Nara of yours isn't that wonderful," he quipped.

Ino ignored the comment, even if she agreed with the puppeteer at the moment. "The question remains the same. Why did you need me?"

"Because this mission needs to be handled with finesse rather then pure power. That sister of mine is a bit domineering if you haven't noticed. She doesn't have the patience for more delicate missions. Especially those that don't call for outright fighting. That's my department," He sounded proud of the fact.

Kankuro's candid manner surprised Ino a bit, and she tried her best not to laugh at the comment he made about his sister. More and more he was seeming less and less intimidating. A great deal less so then his siblings at least. She remained silent, urging him to continue without running the risk offending him. 

"See. not everyone was happy when Gaara was selected as Kazekage, even after the events with the Akatsuki. In the chaos after the Kazekage's abduction, which in the process destroyed a good deal of Hidden Sand, a group of these nin managed to slip out unnoticed. They started popping up on our radar in the past few years. Nothing serious, but being a general annoyance. Until they started sabotaging important missions, resulting in a rather embarrassing fail rate on A and S-class missions. And through our best efforts to keep the situation hushed, rumors began to spread. Probably thanks to the same group. 

Because of the information leak fewer clients have been willing to risk hiring Sand ninja. Sadly its become a challenge, and as this situation draws out fewer and fewer missions are coming through the Kazekage. Your Hokage confirmed this, as Konoha has received an influx. The loss of revenue will soon become thus that we might have to cut back our forces even more. 

The group calls themselves the Kaerizaku. Though that name only comes up in rumors from non-shinobi. Their base constantly moves through out the desert, like a caravan as far as we can tell. 

Worse yet one of their members is a genjutsu user, and gifted at that. Every time we think we have their location it turns out to be an illusion, controlled by a chakra infused pollen-crap that covers the area. And if too much is inhaled it causes its own set of problems.

Its seems like they can either somehow detect us, or someone working under the Kazekage is a double agent. We believe the latter to be the more promising option, however we cannot risk accusing the wrong person. This group will take advantage of any mistake we make. They would turn an already bad situation into a fiasco."

Ino took in the information, mulling over the different aspects of it. Its seemed like quite the problem. But she couldn't help but wonder, "How do I fit in?"

"Your work for Hidden Leaf has not gone unnoticed among the shinobi community there, the same goes for Suna. Seems like you've turned into quite the little spy. Its impossible to survive in the desert without provisions from one of the Outposts that pop up around water sources. We were alerted by one of the more desolate Outposts that they have a suspicious group come through about once a month, which isn't unique in itself, but right after this group leaves new rumors spring up. Rumors that are too close to the truth to be just rumors. They must have a contact there, your job is charm information out of this contact once we find them. After that you'll assume the man's body and use it to meet this group. We'll get what information we can from them and let them leave. We cannot afford to raise suspicion or we might not get another lead for months."

"So you need me because you can't risk them seeing through a transformation jutsu?" she queried, quirking a blonde eyebrow.

"Among other things. We are to continue the trail we dig up until we find their base, and destroy it from the inside. Capturing the leader if possible." She quickly realized the only reason to bring back the leader alive was so he could be publicly executed, thus be made an example of. Ino didn't so much as bat an eye. Whether it was barbaric or not, it would send the message Suna desperately needed. That those that opposed the Kazekage would die, and Ino imagined painfully so. Sand could not afford to be soft, especially in this matter.

Kankuro continued to talk, but her eyelids felt so heavy. She rest her head on his shoulder. Before very long the rumble of his voice had lulled her to sleep.


End file.
